The present invention relates generally to a heated appliance and, more particularly, to a heated grooming appliance such as a hair straightener.
Many conventional hair straighteners have a pair of arms that are hingedly connected together to permit manual opening and closing of the arms relative to one another for straightening hair therebetween. Each arm typically includes a housing, a metallic hair-contacting member (such as an aluminum plate) mounted on the housing, and a heating element (such as a positive temperature coefficient “PTC” heating element) disposed within the housing and fastened to the backside of the hair-contacting member. When electrical current is provided to the PTC heating element, the PTC heating element heats the hair-contacting member via conduction.
However, conventional hair straighteners tend to have an undesirable heat-up time due, at least in part, to the slower rate of conductive heat transfer between the PTC heating element and the metallic hair-contacting member (i.e., the metallic hair-contacting member has a higher density and, therefore, a slower rate of conductive heat transfer). Moreover, PTC heating elements tend to be heavier and thicker that is desired, and conventional hair straighteners tend to have an undesirable weight and an undesirably thick profile as a result.
There is a need, therefore, for a hair straightener that is lighter in weight, has a shorter heat-up time, and/or has a thinner profile as compared to at least some conventional hair straighteners.